University Library News

Georgia State University Library

Avatar: Cultural Issues in Cinema

The controversial blockbuster movie Avatar, now in theaters, explores issues of cultural belonging, cross acculturation, and cultural appropriation. The Georgia State University Library holds many materials on these social topics (though they all relate to life on the planet Earth); students from communication, humanities, or social science programs could use these topics as class paper or project inspiration in the coming semester.

culturalization cultural culture sensitivity global

    A World of Others’ Words: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Intertextuality
    By Richard Bauman

    Holding Worlds Together: Ethnographies of Knowing and Belonging
    Edited by Marianne Elisabeth Lien and Marit Melhuus

    Understanding Global Cultures: Metaphorical Journeys Through 29 Nations, Clusters of Nations, Continents, and Diversity
    By Martin J. Gannon and Rajnandini Pillai

    The Ethics of Cultural Appropriation
    Edited by James O. Young and Conrad G. Brunk

    The Five Stages of Culture Shock: Critical Incidents Around the World
    By Paul Pedersen

Did the movie Avatar inspire you to learn about any other issues, cultural or otherwise? Please post them here for discussion.